Jeanie Irving creates videos for businesses and modern families. Personalise and humanise your brand. Creative videos that make biz marketing easy so you can stand out and attract your tribe. Family films that innovate the 'family album' by bringing memories to life with motion and sound. Geelong AU

Outdoor Karate Photo Session

When you've got buckets of gratitude and your heart is all warm and fuzzy, how do you say thank you? With a blog post of course! I was blown away by the generosity and kindness I was shown by a stranger. Once upon a time we may have lived in the same town, but she didn't know me. Alyson gave me her time and some awesome know-how. Alyson you rock! Thank you.

Last month I had the chance to attend a meetup in Brisbane for a meditation and chakra course I've been doing. Chatting face to face with online friends was great. I was also going to meet my four month old niece for the first time (YAY!) A trip home to Ipswich was overdue, it had been a while since I'd hugged my Mum. I had a bunch of reasons to visit Queensland. I decided to add another. I googled Photographers in the area, looking for the best ones. I found a few I liked.

One Ipswich Photographer stood out by far. She reminded me of my idols. I'm a fan of Meg Bitton, Ashlyn Mae, Jen Carver, and Lisa Holloway. In my eyes they are international superstars! Their images with blurred backgrounds and dreamy colours make my knees go weak. I discovered Ipswich has its very own superstar. Alyson from Kuya Bunso Photography. It's a sweet name. It means older brother, younger brother.

If I'm honest, this photography journey has been a little lonely. *play small violins*. Sure, there are many online photography forums to visit. Everyone kinda gets lost in a sea of many. I reached out to a few local Geelong Photographers to say hello. I had daydreams about being besties with like minded women. I heard crickets. So when I contacted Alyson and she promptly replied I nearly fell off my chair. Followed by an outburst of happy dancing.

I had asked if I could tag along in an outdoor photo session. She didn't have one planned for that week, but suggested we meet anyway. I was crazy thrilled! We discussed marketing, products, lenses, location. You name it. Alyson was vibrant, friendly, and oh so informative. I had read about much of what we discussed, but hearing how she applied those things in her business made all the pieces fit together better. I found myself being super quiet, because if I spoke, I wasn't learning something new.

Alyson arranged for her nine year old son 'Kuya' to be our model in an outdoor mini session. I couldn't have asked for a better subject. Kuya was handsome, patient and enthusiastic. He happily did spinning kicks and punches while we fussed over camera stuff. It was handy that we both have the same Canon camera. Oh, and Alyson taught me how to shoot in that style I love so much. Yes really! Feast your eyes on all that lovely background blur. Isn't it yummy!

After taking the very first photo of the session, Alyson checked the back of my camera. She simply asked 'Can you see what you did wrong there?'. Uum.... I looked at the image again and thought about it. I wasn't sure. This is exactly what I had come for! To improve. Like a giddy teenager I listened and took in everything she explained and suggested.

My first photo of the session is above. Can you see the obvious error? Don't worry, I couldn't either. Alyson said I cut his body in half with the horizon. It's clear as day once you know what to look for. Use the arrows to flip between this and the very next image I took to see the difference. A small adjustment in what I was doing made a big improvement. See all the extra trees and bokeh (round light) you get when you do it right. Much prettier, and it has more visual impact, especially if it was a large print.

What surprised me the most was our session location. We didn't walk far from her gorgeous studio in Brisbane Street. In fact the photos were taken at an oval opposite St Mary's School at Timothy Molony Park. I used to live up the street with my Nanna and I'd walk pass this oval most days. The park was nothing special. A big flat open area on an overcast day. A football team was training nearby. Alyson taught me how to turn an open field, some trees in the distance, and a cute little model into something cool. I was finally shooting like my idols.

Want to see a photo Alyson took from the same session? Use this facebook link to check out one of her karate photos. A little gift is on its way to Alyson and her family to say thanks. Thanks for lending me your Mum and brother for the afternoon.

To everybody I know in Ipswich and Brisbane, be sure to check out Kuya Bunso Photography. Alyson can help you with boutique portraits for wedding, boudoir, family, and maternity. I've seen her portraits products up close and they are gorgeous.